As expected, former Saru president Brian van Rooyen failed to pitch for his disciplinary enquiry that started in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

The disciplinary inquiry into corporate mismanagement allegations against van Rooyen took place without the central figure nor any of his legal representatives as former Chief Justice Joos Hefer presided at the offices of the Free State Rugby Union.

Van Rooyen, who was found guilty of corporate mismanagement during an internal investigation by Saru last year, had 11 charges officially tabled against him on Tuesday.

The main charge detailed allegations that Van Rooyen initiated and promoted the establishment of an office for the president of Saru in Johannesburg at the premises of Labat Africa Ltd to the tune of millions of rands – where Van Rooyen was managing director.

SA Rugby’s legal services manager, Christo Ferreira, told Sapa that Van Rooyen’s absence on Tuesday was unfortunate. “In terms of our regulations the defendant has a choice to be at the disciplinary hearing or not. It would have been first prize if he could have stated his side of the story, but the process must go on,” he said.

SA Rugby’s finance manager Basil Haddad and KPMG’s Jannie Lubbe testified at the hearing on Tuesday. Former deputy-president of Saru, Andre Markgraaff, and former SA Rugby board chairman Theunie Lategan are expected to testify on Wednesday.